The Prime Directive of Trade Show Graphic Design: Keep It Simple

Displayit strives to sell the best display systems on the market, but without compelling graphic design, even the best display hardware won't be enough.

So, what's the secret to creating effective graphic designs for trade show displays? Keep your design simple. Numerous studies have shown that exhibitors have 2 to 3 seconds to get a visitor's attention. In that short amount of time, your primary goal is to engage people.

When someone first looks at your display, they're deciding whether or not you can help them. Your graphic should quickly answer that question - and that question only. Ideally, your display should only feature the following three things:

Company branding

Strong tagline

Brand-related image that attempts to tell your company's story visually

If your message is simple and effective, people are more likely to enter your booth and talk to you. Treat the conversation as an opportunity to discover their needs and to discuss how you can meet those needs.

Keep in mind that your display's purpose is to grab attention and encourage people to visit your booth. When it comes to particulars like your company's address, phone number, or in-depth descriptions of your products and services, provide those details in brochures, cards, and other giveaways. Use these materials to reiterate the main points of your discussions.

The bottom line is that you need to consider the drawbacks of including a lot of content in your design. You want to attract, not overwhelm. Larger displays can feature additional messaging in sections of the booth, but for simple inline designs, such as a 10' x 10' display, you really need to think about adding anything more than the three recommended items above.

If you keep your graphic design simple and attractive, you'll increase the number of people that visit your booth, and at the same time, improve your trade show ROI dramatically..